Cleargarde
History One of the oldest settlements in Western Erith, most of Cleargarde is older than the Royal Line of Sleetguard, and has been owned by many kingdoms in it's long history. Believed to have been constructed by an ancient civilisation, Cleargarde can be seen from miles away. It has 8 sky-scraping lighthouses that rotate light into both The Sea of Bracecroft to the south & Jerthon's Sea to the north. Each Lighthouse is connected by a shell of blue stone walls, that surround the city, and at the heart of these defences is Clearguard Castle. Cleargarde was under control of Sleetgarde for nearly half a century before it fell to the encroaching Emberscar Blight undead horde. The city was taken for only a number of weeks before the Lucien Blightbane (then Prince Lucian Sleetguard) retook the city, in what is still regarded as one of the best war operations in Erith's military history. Lucien Blightbane, along with a company of royal soldiers scaled the walls of Cleargarde's lighthouses, and redirected their light away from the seas, and into the city itself. It is said that the sheer radiance of the light, returned the undead legions to ash, making it an easy task to finish off what evil forces remained. Current Leader and Individuals of Note The Hailstorm Surge have a governing presence here, as it is the safest fortified location away from the field of battle closer to Spiritmond Redoubt. A Governess named Vehx Windmount, who takes council from ambassadors from Goldview, The Hailstorm Surge, Drallac & The Hural Empire, is the highest seat of authority in Cleargarde. As the city accommodates The Hailstorm Surge (a multi-kingdom war initiative) forces, there are two embassies for the Drallac (Goblin Ambassador Qwia'lek) & Hural Empires (Elven Ambassador Turina), who have ambassadors that sit in Windmount's court. Town Map Locations of Interest The Eight Lighthouses - '''At the eight compass points that surround Cleargarde Castle, towering behemoths of blue stone touch the clouds themselves. Atop each is an ancient hovering glass sphere that is able to capture and reflect light to any point visible from that tower. The spheres, like the rest of Cleargarde, are considered another ancient technology of importance to scholars across Erith. '''Cleargarde Castle - '''An architectural marvel. The castle is pyramidical in shape, with a giant spire that can see over the amethyst blue city walls, dwarfed only by the eight lighthouses. '''The Hailstorm Surge Hall - The Surge occupy the ancient barracks, a facility that can maintain a whole army. The hall has a dozen smithies, a series of training areas, dormitories for senior officers, a magic fountain, a great mess hall & a spherical meeting plaza where all matters pertaining to the Hailstorm Surge & Academy are discussed. The Grand Temple - A multifaith place of worship with shrines to all the legal gods. The Temple is lead by a cleric from the Hural Empire (Vilari the Wise - High Elf), the first and only senior religious figure in the Kingdom of Sleetguard from another empire. "E''rith's Epicentre''" - A giant docklands district where a great deal of trade between the kingdoms of Western Erith takes place. Slowly becoming more active as the city continues to fend off the undead. Museum of the Ancients - A museum run by architects & historians, which has exhibits about the ancient civilisation who built Cleargarde. As theories vary between each academic, there is next to nothing correlating between each suggestion, leaving many visitors unsure about what to believe. Most theories originate from an idea of a "founding race" who inhabited Erith in the beginning, a race with technology or magic far superior to what is used today. The Drallac Pits - A makeshift arena outside the city gates. A series of pits dug into the sandy coast, where in keeping with Drallac tradition, soldiers compete in unarmed combat for sport. It is frowned upon in the Kingdom of Drallac to bet on these matches, but these are the first pits dug outside of Drallac, and the Hural Empire never misses an opportunity to make money. '''The Hural Gallery - '''A pop up art gallery of sorts that Ambassador Turina of Hural commissioned in one of the vacant storehouses near Cleargarde Castle. The artworks inside are a collection of sculptures and paintings that detail the forming of the Hural Empire, its leaders of note, and an event called The Great Quake. Events of Note The city is due to have its first festival of light soon, honouring those who fell when the undead took Cleargarde, and celebrating Blightbane's heroics. Academics are always looking to hire expeditions to accompany them to new sites of the ancient civilisation being discovered in the region. As well as being a key centre of trade, "Erith's Epicentre" has a vast tavern district, ran by owners from Sleetguard, Drallac & The Hural Empire. This district is used just as much for learning about other cultures, as it is for trading and unwinding.